Dilemma : Keep Modded XJ or Get JK Rubicon

HercDriver

Adventurer
Looking for some opinions on my dilemma.

To keep my current 99 Jeep XJ which I have a bunch of work into or get a JK Rubicon. My goal with either vehicle is light duty overlanding, camping , light trailer towing and other off road jeep related things.

My 99 Jeep Xj is very capable as is, all of which Ive done myself.
Pros
-Eaton E locker up front.
-Detroit TruTrac LSD in the rear.
-4.5" lift
-NP231 with wider chain and SYE
-32" tires
-Detours Offroad winch mount
-9500# winch with synthetic cable
- Completely gutted and cleaned entire interior
-Rhinoliner on the floorboards to prevent rust
- Not a spec of rust not he unibody (no really)
- Stock tire carrier
- Stock skids (front, rear and transfer case)
-ZJ steering bars
- Pretty much every engine part is new (water pump, T-stat , belts, gaskets, ps pump, pg gearbox ...etc)
- I owe nothing on it obviously, only money I spend on it is play money or maintenance.
- I have a daily already (Cruze) so the Jeep sits and I only use it when I need it.
-Parts are SUPER CHEAP

Cons
- 236,000 miles on motor (it still starts and runs and drives fine ever time I go to drive it). It will probably need a new motor soon which Id put a 5.3 LM7 into it.
- Rear bench seat was removed in favor of a platform for tools, dogs and anything else that needed put in there. So no rear seat for say a baby seat? lol In the event that time comes
- Something goes out on it every few months (ps pump, ball joint etc) even though I have lifetime warranties on all the parts I just take the old on off and put the new one on free of charge.
- Ive changed the rear main seal 3 times and it still leaks ever so slightly (Maybe Im not the person to perform that specific task lol).
- Ill know for a fact Ill never get the money I put into it which I'm ok with as its not my daily and I love tinkering as a hobby.
- Its a 99 and its starting to show signs of wear, it creaks and is getting old. Even though theres nothing wrong with an older vehicle.
-Terrible on gas mileage but I don't care about that because its not a daily

JK Rubicon
Pros
-Electronic lockers (save me from having to do myself)
-Electronic swab disconnects
-Beefier axles stock
-More room all around
-Doors and top can come off for the ultimate jeep experience! (lol)
-Option to add AEV items
-More options to add overland items such as roof racks, tents, cans etc
-They hold their value
- Towing capacity is decent
- Newer vehicle

Cons
-Expensive
-Expensive
-Parts are expensive
-Aftermarket parts come with the "JK" or "Rubicon" tax
-Gas mileage is poor for a daily should I choose to sell the Cruze and daily the Rubicon
-Id need to find a jeep with 4.10s installed already or add gears to one that doesn't have larger gears


Thats all I could list off right now. Those who have JKs or XJ's feel free to chime in with any opinion on the matter. Some of the pros and cons I could be completely off on but its what I could put on a list as of this time. Feel free to ask questions to clarify. Thanks !

Heres a pic of my current XJ


Heres what Id envision the rubicon to look like eventually. Id at least like a basic Rubicon. Having a Hard Rock edition or whatever would just be a plus.

 
I had the same kind of dilemma back in October when I bought my JKU Sport. I had a Jeep Commander QDII with lift Hemi, 100k miles, set up they way I liked it and loved it. But I had little things pop up here and there. I asked myself if I would be comfortable taking my family on a 2000 mile trip in the Commander and not have to worry about something going wrong and interrupting the trip. The answer was no I wouldn't. Now I do not mind wrenching and personally think fixing things on a trip is par for course. But my wife and kids think a little different about it. So I bought a 16' JKU Sport and am glad I did. Now the only wrenching I will do is to add what I want on the Jeep. But that has to wait until October because part of the deal with the wife was I have to wait 1 yr before any mods. But she did let me add some Rubicon rims and tires and rock rails. An added bonus is my milage went up. Commander 13 hwy/8 city, JKU 21 hwy/17 city.
 

Jeepinaaron

Adventurer
I think it comes down to finances. Seems like your XJ can do the things you want it to, its not your DD. If the engine dies, a 4.0 is easy to find.

If you don't mind a Jeep payment, get a JKU. But to me, the best modification I've ever made to a vehicle was paying it off. I would like a JKUR but my 03 WJ suits me just fine and she's paid off!
 

JSwanson

Observer
If you don't mind a Jeep payment, get a JKU. But to me, the best modification I've ever made to a vehicle was paying it off.

Agreed! That said i have also contemplated the same thing you are Hercdriver. I just put a ton of $ in my XJ (like 2 times what I paid for it) so mines not going anywhere. But in 2015 i bought a brand new truck (now sold to buy a house) and not having to worry about reliability or having to fix anything was a real plus. Just jump in and fill up the tank and go. But spending $40k plus you have to ask yourself how you will feel if you scratch or dent the Rubicon while driving trails or for that matter getting a door ding parking in a lot. Good luck in you decision. I don't think you can go wrong its just how much do you want to spend. Like anything else.
 

unkamonkey

Explorer
You need to be a bit philosophical about your vehicles. A friend had a work Toyota and his new 4X4 Toyota. Both must have been 1979 vintage. He was out polishing his 4x4 every weekend. Doing the Armorall on the dash. It was spotless. His work truck had dust and papers on the dash and he rarely cleaned it. The nice shiny dash in the 4x4 cracked soon. The dash in the work truck never cracked. It had that nice protective layer of dust.
He came home one night and stomped to the kitchen to grab a beer. Sucked it down in about one swallow and broke the bottle on the other side of the room. "Screw it, I backed into my old Ford so It has it's first dent". He wasn't so obsessive after that. I watched him roll it a few years later West of Morrison CO. I was in my old '68 Volvo following him. We loaded up all of the stuff out of the truck bed and tossed the camper shell over the guard rail.
Don't get too obsessed about your vehicles.
I've had my '61 3B since about 1982 and I have backed it into a few trees and the only thing that really shows is a ding in an exhaust end.
There are scrapes on my springs, PTO and skid plate.
Use them as they were meant to be used and don't sweat a bit of pin striping.
 

SEREvince

Adventurer
I was in a similar position not long ago. I had a nice DD, and a built Tacoma. I was looking at JKURs. Long story short I could not bring myself to buy a Rubicon. In my area that is a average of $12-15k markup over a Sport. If you throw $12-15k at a Sport you can build a rig specific to your desires that will likely out perform a stock Rubicon. Local 4x4 shops and CL are littered with Rubicon parts if you want them. Pretty common for guys to go to aftermarket Dana 44s and then to aftermarket 60s. Not even uncommon to see people strip everything off of a brand new Rubi.
 

jpat30

Adventurer
I too was just in this same boat. I have an 03 WJ which I built and love dearly, but it is definitely getting a little long in the tooth, not to mention sometimes I would love to have a newer fresher rig. I looked at a bunch of possible replacement vehicles and very nearly almost pulled the trigger (as in on my way to put down a deposit) on a 17 Cherokee Trail Hawk. At the end of the day though, I just couldn't. My WJ is long paid off and I can buy a lot of gas and replacement parts for the monthly cost of a new jeep. In the end though, it boils down to your finances because you will ultimately be the one writing the check to Chrysler month in and month out......good luck though with your decision.
 

-ND4SPD-

New member
So I think I can answer this question accurately since I have a '99 XJ & my wife has an '08 JK. Not only that but I have JK axles swapped into my XJ meaning both have 35" tires, 4:10 gearing, the same disk brakes on all four corners. You can't get a closer comparison than that.

The short answer is that the JK is nicer in every way & is the vehicle we choose for any type of long trip. It's more comfortable, better steering feel, better braking, more aftermarket options, & more fun to drive.

In all honesty though my XJ is actually the lower maintenance vehicle. There's always some little thing that needs attention on the JK which gets annoying. My XJ just runs & there's something to be admired about that but I wouldn't trust in on an out of state expedition either.

My XJ is paid off & the wife's JK will also be in 6 months. At that time I'll be buying a JK for daily driving & relinguishing the XJ to toy status.

I hope that helps to provide some perspective.

IMG_6860.jpg
 
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HRPINDC

Adventurer
So here's my .02 for what it's worth. If your finances allow you to comfortably make the payments, go for the Rubicon. Yes, you could by a Sport cheaper and mod it yourself, but you'll never get that money back. With the Rubicon, the higher price you pay today will fetch a higher price down the road. They hold their value better than mods. There is something to be said for knowing your ride will start every time you get in, to me, that peace of mind is worth a lot. Mine is my DD and I take her on all of my long trips. The gas mileage sucks, but I don't care. I've had no problems with my '13 JKUR. For me, taking the top and doors off is my favorite part, you can't do that in any other vehicle. Good luck with your decision.
 

AgentOrange76

Adventurer
Everyone be like, "don't daily a 18 year old Jeep, it'll break and let you you down" and I'm over here like :smiley_drive: as that being my only truck.

Looks like you've got a solid list there. I'm normally a logic and reasoning guy. It took getting into cars to realize the mechanical and/or practical advantages something offers doesn't necessarily make it the better choice. Many will argue (and they'd be right) that what I drive is dumb and impractical and totally the wrong vehicle for what I use it as right now. But I like it. I like driving it, I like working on it. I have a lot of memories in the old girl. Just because something makes sense doesn't mean it's the "right" thing to do. If a new Wrangler you don't have to worry about and you can play with the top and doors (it's great) is what ya want, go for it. If its driving an old ratty Cherokee (btw yours is pretty sweet) do it. At the end of the day if you're not having fun, its just another appliance. Go with whatever choice makes you happy. But hey, I just quit being a teenager last year so what do I know?:snorkel:
 

Cottontail

Easy Street on Mud Tires
Keep the XJ. (then join NAXJA and we'll help you keep it running forever).

There you go....problem solved.

You are welcome!
 

motorcycle matt

Active member
You're right, JK's are expensive, I know because I have one:) My humble opinion is if you're not daily driving it stick with what you have, take the $500 a month payment plus larger insurance payment and find a low mileage LS and transmission and keep them stock (except a trans cooler) for reliability. If you want bigger tires then find some JK Rubicon take offs, wire up two switches and boom, you got lockers. Like others have said, no matter your decision, just have fun with it:)
 

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